1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a contact device for making an electrically conductive connection between a conductor and a contact stud, for example a contact stud of an ECG electrode.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a contact device of this kind known from West German Patent No. 3,106,594, the spring element serving as a contact part is in the form of a ring which is slit lengthwise and has a constricted part for engagement with the contact stud. The ring-shaped spring element is arranged in the associated holder consisting of an insulating material in such a way that, in the area of the lengthwise slit of the spring element which separates the ring halves, a certain spacing from the wall of the holder is available for spring deflection of the pertinent spring element areas which spring outwardly.
In the known solution, reliability of operation is only guaranteed if the diameter of the contact stud which is to be contacted matches the dimensions of the contact means very well. More particularly, the forcing of a contact stud which is too large into the contact means results in permanent deformations of the spring element and/or the holder if the available space for spring deflection between the holder and the spring element is insufficient.